Wire-bound-crate-side machine.



E111 C'Bfil'fi & W. H. RAY. wma scum) CRATE smE MACHINE.

APPLICATSON FILED MAR 2% i912.

Patented J an. 29, 1918.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1- E. BRING W. H. WW,

WW5 Emmi CRATE $HJE MACHENE.

APFLHEATION mm MANN/1912.

Emmi-@431 Jan. 29 19118., i

1' SHEETS-SH5ET 2.

EJERMG 13 W. 5% EM.

WlRE 'BOUND CRATE SIDE MACHSNE, APPLICATION mm MAR. 20. 19x2.

E m-mm Jan, 193.81

7 SH ET$SHEET 3.

EII II ES III II, IIIII. WIRE EIOIINU CIHIIE SIDE MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. I912 .HIIHIID 3 66 if f f E. CRAIG & W. H.RAY. WIRE BOUND CRATE smE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILIED MAR-20,1912- 1,254,??9, 4 Patented Jan.29,1918.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

E. CRAIG & W. H. RAY.

WIRE BOUND CRATE SIDE MACHINE. APPLICATION man mmzo. 19:2.

1,254,779. Patented Jan.29,1918. I

Z SHEETS-SHEET 6- E. CRAIG & W. H. RAY.

WIRE BOUND CRATE SIDE MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR-20,1912.

Patented Jan. 29, 1918.

W'IBE-IGOUND-CBATE-El IDIl Mk0 HIE.

Specification of Letters li'mtont.

Pa teintoq' J 29. A201 implication 111011 More): 220, 1912. Serial :10.684,871.

1' '0 all whom it may concern Re if; known'thnt we, EDWARD 'C-imxo andWILLIAM H. BAY, citizens of the United States of America, and. miclentis of St. Joseph, Ben-ion county, lvlioiiigiui, have iuventedcertain new and useful Improvements; in Wiro-Bouncl raloSide Maol'iinos,of

which the following is a. specification.

Our invention relates to machinery for stapling materials. It relatesmore particularly to machinery for making bQZi blanks, and vspociollythose adopted for applying parallel binding wires to veneer 01' othersheet material.

1 An object of our invention is 0 provide 2i simple-and efik cot machim;51m ap piying piimilei binding wires, or l'li'cir oc'guiinlont, orsimilar reinforcing; mominn-1; .o veneer or o'thur sheet lT .li

Another object is to pro :rlu n. maoliino of thisiiincl in w! ii.sin-1573c and Mice-five moans are provided for provmting the driving ofstaples beiqwuon the. ends of adjacent blanks;

Another object is co PIOViKiP a machine of this kind having simple andell'octii-"e means for automatically cutting the wire or other bimling;members between the amls of lid" jnriont. blanks.

Another object is to provide a mac-him of this lcincl in whio'h,ofi'ectivo means are provided for tonsioning the binding wires, and 'Forexerting lil'lG-JLQHFB tlmioon to hold the 521-1116 in place by frictionwhen the wires are out, and whereby the said binding wires areprevo'uted from becoming ('iisar'migod relative to the, silo-piers.

Another object is to provide :1 mooliino of this kind in \Filivl'l:simple. and improved means are provided for operating" thefeed mechanismby which tho staple. wires are fed to the staplers I v R is also an obml to provide cert-air: (la-- tails and 'lcoi-uroe 'im irovmneni tendingto iiicrmise film gown-.1 oi oilioionoy and sorviao nbiliifi of 1-machino of this particular clitw millet, and whereby the use of cer'mintioavtu reis of mnstrnation and methods oftg mzm fzwture heretoforeconsidered necessary oidesini-blo is avoided.

To the foregoing and other useful suds our invention consists in matterslie-reina-i'toi set forth and claimed.

In the 'accompnnyiiw airmvingrs:

Figure. 1, is a (le oiiavation of an auto-- moth w 1;; machine.f-illidfitijlflg iwio prim-- ciplos our invention.

2, is a plan of tho said machine. Him 3, is a. rear and elevation of thesaid JDICILlllG, with certain portions thereof shown in verticalsection, and cor-aim other part5 broken away for convenience; ofillusiiz'zition. Fig. 4, is a longitudinal section of said. machine.

Fig. 5, is an enlarged. tlcfnilwicw of the moulizm su'i forautomatically cuttiijig o1 severing the binding wires boiween'iho e asof the macho of the large i vo i'Jil-L. H111. way 42ml by n iiirrailyone mid The same Ol'IQYIXCi-OIL limo by two small blanks sum "n" bmaking two such small blanks in sopnrnfi, {111d indopmiclont much ii135.

' S, is an onions-cl detail side-eloii'afiion oi one of time staplingliearis. showing the Sample. "ire 'feerl il'lQChllHlSlll; and showing"also time mechanism ijr r .oli 11-h Wire feed mechanism is automaticallycont-milked by.

oo howling n'iovomont of the enciless 'woi'k liokior, or by thetravel:zig movomont oi the .o m ec-lisinism ovation of 119. work ion ofthe holder and hoicler moi-1mg the of one of the sprocket chains,showing the support or guide therefor in longitudinal section.

Fig. 12, is an enlarged section on the line 12--12 in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13, is a perspective of one of the spacing blocks employed on thesaid sprocket chains of the said endless traveling work holder.

l iglt, is a erspective of one of the guiding tubes emp oyed on thestaplers, which tubes guide the staple wires, each tube being providedwith a spring which exerts pressure downwardly lipon the wire to producesufficient friction to prevent the Wire from shpping out of the guidewhen it 15 automatically out or severed at a point farther on by themeans for so doing.

As thus illustrated, our invention comprises a based i upon which aremounted the two upright castings or side frames B by which the ;1variousoperative parts of the machine are supported in suitably elevatedpositions. These side frames are connected at their upper ends by arigid cross bar 5, and at a point lower down by the usual bar 7) uponwhich the staplers 6 of any suitable character, are supported in theusual manner, and-are adapted for lateral ad1ustinent when it is desiredto change or vary the width of the blanks.

As shown, there are four of these staplers, and the middle staplers aredisposed. close together to apply the middle two wires 1 and 2 of theblank shown in Fig. 7, this being a double blank. The outer staplersapply the wires 3 and 4 of said blank. The side frames B are alsoconnected by the bross bars C and D, which bar 0 is provided. withadjustable brackets c. A cross bar 133 connects the two frames at apoint above the bar D. The round bars F are held in the brackets c, andare provided at their ends with brackets 7' which. serve as bearings forthe shafts f 3 upon which are mounted the sprocket wheels f F, thesebars being disposed horizontally and longitudinally of the machine. Thelongitudinal tracks or ways G are supported by the brackets c, and bythe the other brackets 7" on the bars F, whereby these tracks or'waysare adjustable laterally to 'vary the width of the blanks. i

The two sprocket chains H are mounted on the said sprocket wheels, andarranged to travel in the tracks G, whereby the upper portions of saidsprocketchains are sup ported for the traveling movement l0ngit11dinally of the machine.

As shown, these sprocket chains are provided with spacing blocks h,havingspar ing projections it upon the upper surfaces thereof;'saidblocks being adyustably held on said chains by set screws It, wherebythe distance between these blocks can be varied in accordance with thewidth of the stock or sheets of veneer. It will be understood that asmany of these blocks can be employed as necessary, one being shcwn forconvenience of illustration as they are all alike. These blocks can beplaced and arranged in such manner that spaces of any desired size willbe left between the blanks. For example, four strips of veneer can beplaced in position for a blank, and then a strip can be omitted to forma space between this blank and the next one. These blocks provideshoulders it upon which the sluvets of veneer are supported inhorizontal position. The edges of the said sheets are spaced apart bythe projections h The endless traveling work-holder thus provided isoperated by a ratchet feed mechanism, consisting of an arm I pivoted onthe shaft f and providcd with ratchet pawls 2' adapted to engage theratchet wheel 2' which is fast on said shaft. The pitman i is preferablyconnected with a block 2' which is adjustable longitudinally of the armI, by means of a hand screw i* extending from the end there of. l viththis arrangement the length of the arm I is, in effect, varied orchanged to regulate the action of the feed mechanism, the pitman i beingactuated by an eccentrio i on the main drive shaft J which crosses themachine at the bottom thereof.

Preferably, the guides G are provided with flangesg upon the upper edgesof which the end portions of the sheets of veneer rest and slide along.And these outer end edges of the sheets of veneer are engaged by theguards g secured upon the outer surfaces of the flanges g, in the mannershown more clearly in Fig. 12. Preferably, the said sprocket chains arecomposed of long links it, which are connected by intermediate or shortlinks k said long links being single and serving as a support for thespacing blocks 7., each long link being grooved to engage the inner endsof the said screws h and being grooved or beveled upon the outersurfaces thereof to engage correspondingly formed portions of saidspacing blocks, whereby said. blocks cannot be disconnected from thechains even when the said set screws are turned enough to permit theblocks to slide longitudinally of said links.

,The binding wires are carried on reels K and are brought downward andaround the guide rblls 7c and which guide rolls are mountcdone above theotlmr upon a plate 70*, which is secured by abolt 70 to the new . 1' asm Fig. 8,

hem from (111 Ea 1 (what. mechzmlsm. .131; inll imqs i 1% a gap 01"upenqzgg 'whlcn r (flitting the. Wim hedLQilCL-Blliibhmks V with a. rolla which rests upon the upper surface of the stock or veneer, and whichfalls into each depression or space in the work as the blanks travelalong. The construction of the said clutch is such when the roll itmoves downward in one of the spaces between the ends of two adjacentblanks, the clutch is thereby automatically closed, and the shaft 41 isrotated to cause the operation of said punches, with the result that thebinding wires are severed at a suitable distance from the rear epd ofthe blank which-has passed forward from below the said punches. As. soonas the roll a strikes the forward edge of the next or following sheet ofveneer, to which latter the wires have, of course, been secured, thesaid clutch is thereby automatically opened, with the result that thepunches N are thrown. out of operation, and the mechanism continues inthis condition until the next opening or space occurs in the surface ofthe stock or veneer. that with an endless traveling wort-holder of thischaracter the supporting surface thereof cannot always be equallydivided into spaces of predetermined length for the blanks of a certainsize, as at times the length of the blanks is liable to be such that anodd space will be left which is too long for a space-between two blanks,and too short for a'whole blank. In such case the automatic wire cuttingmechanism N saves and economizes in the use of the wire, be cause whenthe blank ahead has passed the wires are cut and then, duringthe passingof this odd or useless space, the binding wires are not feeding forward,but to the contrary are standing still. At this time the wires 1-53,whereby each double blank isdivided into sections, each a complete blankin itself-that is, two blanks can be made at the same time, and it isfound that it is easier and more economical to manufacture two blanks atthe same time this waythan by makingthem at the same time in two'separate and distinct machines. In other words, the two blanks are madeby practi cally one and the same operation, without any additionaleffort or labor on the part of the mechanics or operatives in attendanceon the machine.

Also, an adjusting screw P is r. wided in It is obvious, of course,

those skilled in the art.

the side of the machine and arranged to engage a, threaded opening in ablock or some other portion which is rigid with the track, G, at thisside of the machine; A gear wheel 72 is mounted on the said screw, whichlatter has its outer end supported for rotation on the frame of themachine. A.

pinion p engages the gear wheel 19 and is operated by a crank 79 wherebysimple and effective mechanism is provided for easily and quicklychanging or varying the distance between the two sprocket chains, andbetween the two guides in which the said sprocket chains travel, when itis desired to change or vary the width of the blanks.

The staplers are operated in the usual and well known manner by avertically reciprocating cross bar Q, which latter has each' endconnected by a pitman g with the eccentric devices 9 mounted on theouter ends of the shaft-l. This shaft can be driven in any suitable ordesired manner.

The said mechanism for automatically controlling the wire-feeding devicefor the stapler is, it will be seen, a modification of I the deviceshown and described in Patent No. 1,132,515, in which the control isobtained by engagement with the traveling work-holder. herein shown anddescribed the control of the wire feeding device is by direct engagementwith the tops of the blanks, and thus the successive spaces servethrough the feeding motion to control the driving of the staples. I

The machine shown and described is adapted for the making of cleatlessblanks,

and this avoids the use of various features of construction and methodsof manufacture heretofore considered necessary or desirable, as will bereadily understood by Obviously, however, certain features of theinvention, in cluding the automatic controllers n and n", and theirassociated parts, can be employed in other environments, for variouspurposes, and arenot necessarily limited to use in connection with acleatless blank machine,

asit is obvious that these features can be used-1n the manufacture ofblanks of various kinds aud descriptions. The invention, therefore, isnot limited to the exact construction shown and described, or anyparticular use, or to any particular form of box blank. i What we claimas' our invention is:

1. A machine for stapling suitably prepared materials together to formblanks for the sides of boxes or crates, comprising an endless travelingwork holder for the blank materials, a stapler, a staple wire feedmechanism for said stapler, and means governed bythe traveling motion ofsaid work holder for automatically tripping out the said But with theconstruction win insciinnisin bell? inpting the ieoiyln' snivl meansincincl n-ii'zingg eil L in; sun

11 ill gnvin'nsd T 1 nmicisi' 'ili'n"; said en mi. lilin sail a de icethat bears n Wow, and ins-ans ii'nnnii .hlbili'lfi winnris ".ip {ii -innl y' tiie. said inn blanks, J nianliine. for wiggling snitnbij; Amaterials in ne]: in farm blanks v l alias, conipi's 1 endless'lJI'EbVGll vizier 5501* Kim bl n nminiiiils, pls wire fined 111G213"nnisni for sis, sl pier, innans gnvemvi my 1531s 'imveling' niocinn ofsaid, work-linilei i'ni mi'tnniat'isniiy tripping nut ljile saidmechanism between blanks, Without intesmpiing; ijllE; inciprmmtinn nithe said stapler, said menus; comprising 2L i'oiisi' that bears nn in ofthe inn-wing Work, and means Tll1" j?' the snicl ETGiiEBI irons iln-iwnlaiis niii-liiolclei' between blanks i 4 m A machine forsltaplingziu'itulal pared inalei'ifiis together tn farm 13L. the sides of bums0i" amiss comp V an endisss traveling wnricr-hnl'cler i 01- lzhn blankmaterials, a S'tlliiif-Hfl, 2i staple ire feed inecln 'nnisin inf saidswnlrar means go 'er'nsd by iilin illfzl'VE-illllg nntinn of said."wnrinhnlilnr f0): auto-initially tripping sin; line mini insnll1.1131511 blfil'W-Bfiill blanks, without inferi nplziiig the iprnm'ti.fzaziidi 1118241153 T wiflgiinut iii lxer moms iimvnwnrci iiimania-imam; if the said ii *stinsntinnscl insans; saidillfi-fifllilfll'i m having a, nontrnller there ingeql to be eiwagwi bythe Work.

itnncliinn :lfnr 2133971112 3 suitably pits- "Gal 1" alil lililliS inform blanks foi the sides Ka li nlE basses nr crates, mm n'ising meansfor moving the Work along, means for Wiring the ininnks, mechanism forcutting the blanks apart and ms ns for engaging the naming ilfOlFi-il toautnmaticaily govern the Siljifi. mechanism.

' 9. in. line for stapling suitably preins-2.131s to form blanks for thesides is 01 crates, comprising means for running; the work n10 means forWiring this hidl'lifiS, mechanism fin" suiting ths blanks apart, andnmans inciudinga roller for engaging the upper surface of the movingWork in autmnziticaiiy govern the said mechanism.

l0. manhine for stapling suitably prepared maize-rials tn fol-1n blanksfor the sides of bums n1" comprising means for mnvin the Work along,mechanism for cutting the his is 'apart and powembmnsmitting);nnnnecmons for npeiia't-ing said mechanism, having a clutch governetl bythe 0peruitinn of said iii sla mentionecl means, said l blanks, andsand. mechanism CUHIPI'iEiH a device iniznutiiing sziicl ires, saidcluicli having" a, cfinn'tmilsr therefor a1- rangenl in be engagcdf bythe Work.

' 5.1. A nisvcliin foir stapling suitably prepared materials in i'foimblanks for the sides 01: bni ies or 02mins, wimp ising means fornrmvingg; Cl wnrli' ailing, in. M in: Wiring the: iilsin. nmciialnismfar cniling the 1 c, anti power-imnsnii i. n51; can-- i. i" npemibing smechanism, haw ing clutch gnvei-nsci by His traveling; momma-nil; oi theWork 2 i: miioinmtically wnti'nlling @5510 said inschnnisn'i.

152. A. machine fofstapiihgi suitably prepared materials in fOJfIl'lblanks for" the sides 0i bones n1" crates, comprising means fni nnvi'the Wqrk along", 1110:1113 for Wiring the bnnks, and nmcnzinisin i501cutting the antig0v said inns (Elli pler, means for guiding the bindingmem ber below the stapler, and tension mechanism for exerting a backpull on said mem' her at points adjacent'and immediately in advance ofsaid guiding means, said guiding means engaging the wirebetween saidmechanism and stapler.

14. A machine for applying a binding member to sheet material,comprising a stapler, means for guiding the binding mem ber below thestapler, and tension mechanism for exerting a back pull on said memberat points adjacent and immediately in advance of said guiding means,-said mcchanism comprising one or more adjustable rolls, said guidingmeans engaging the wire between the stapler and one of said rolls.

15. A machine for applying a binding member to sheetimaterial,comprising a stapier, means for guiding the binding mcmbcr below thestapler, and tension mecha nism for exerting a back pull on said memberat points adjacent and immediately in advanceof said guiding means, saidmechanism comprising a pivoted support, and a pair of rolls mounted onsaid support, said guiding means engaging the wire between the staplerand one of said rolls.

16. A machine for stapling suitably prepared materials to form blanksfor the sides of boxes or crates, comprising a stapler for fasteningthematcrials together, instrumentalities for holding the materials inposition,

vdevices for causing relative movement be lit:

tween the stapler and materials, whereby the blanks are successivelyoperated upon by said stapler, and mechanism having means for engagingthe materials to control the operation of the stapler and thereby prevent the driving of staples between blanks, said means including acontroller-that rests upon the materials.

17. A machine for stapling suitably prepared materials to form blanksfor the sides of boxes or crates, comprising a stapler for fastening thematerials together, instrumentalities for holding the materials inposition, devices for causing relative movement between the stapler andmaterials, wlhereby the blanks are successively operated upon by saidstapler, and mechanism having means, for engaging the materlals tocontrol the operation of the stapler .and thereby prevent the drivingofstaples between blanks,

said means-including a pivoted contgpller pler being provided with adevice for feed ing wire thereto, said feeding-device being governed bysaid controller. 1

18. A machine for stapling suitably pre-- pared materials to form blanksfor the sides of boxes or crates, comprising a stapler for fastening thematerials together, inst-riunentanities tor olding the materials inposition, devil. For causing relative movement fpared materials to formblanks I between the stapler and materials, whereby the blanks aresuccessively operated upon by said stapler, and mechanism having meansfor engaging the materials to control the operation of the stapled'andthereby prevent the driving of staples between blanks, said meansincluding a controller that rests upon the materials, said stapler andcontroller being in alinement with each other transversely of themachine.

19. A. machine for stapling suitably pre pared materials to form blanksfor the sides of boxes or crates, comprising instrument talities forsuccessively producing th blanks in connected series, having provifacsions for making blanks of dillerent lengths,

and mechanism for cutting the blanks apart, said mechanism having meansfor engaging the blanks to properly time the operation of saidmechanism.

20. A machine for stapling suitably prepared materials to form blanksfor the sides of boxes or crates, comprising instrumentalities forsuccessively producing the blanks 'making blanks of different lengths,and

mechanism for cutting the blanks apart, having means for engaging theblanks to properly time the operation of said mecha nism, said meansincluding a controller that rests upon the hlanks, a1'1d said mechanismhaving a cutter disposed in alinement with the controller transverselyof the machine.

22. A machine for stapling suitably prefor the sides Jllitl of boxes orcrates, comprising a stapler for fastening the material's together,instrumentalities for holding the materials in position, devices forcausing relative movement between thestapler and the materials, wherebythe blanks are successively operated upon by said stapler, mechanismhaving means i'or engaging the outside surface of the ma terials tocontrol the operation of the stapler that rests upon the materials, andsaid statrolled by tliie spaces between the blanksv 523.. A, machine forstapling suit bly pre pared materials to form blanks for ti. ice atbones or crates, comprising iastru i uli'tvi ds if:

111 1 4 inimkurlg b" 1' 11:11am.

fee

bl ank defines .zhzrllzeriafs SP a sad relation 1 m1. emmm 'whi 01?? theL for m: 0.16 staple; lbw

form "2rd fen in which predlm:

mid makimmlg.

25 nlznch'inn 1 blanks, c01 a\ 3-1'iL plingg and WOIk feed to fasten thebhlnk m :1 cessimi y' spasm: including an elemelz w] 3i and we of the111mm 01. spaces 11" the material in mm V 1 0:. 2m 11 Maine For Ssa'plinin i w suitabiy prw 1.70 form b1 fmfthe sia 31g; film m: rialstingetl'wr" in form b12111 nice-banish: f0 uming the Mm" apmt, file]. m;arm ed. to entanthe span bhm (to M111 1 said 2! {21m 301mg" device.

Wk #1 bOl-Kblflllk lliz'l'fi'liliq 43011;. News, means for feeding" t0flmstaplersin successwe v and automatically gown-Ami mmc-ludin aneielmnm which is; 11 out w. the 131mm @"f H 1 1 ,1 11 for mntmNing-saidst 1') mpiui' aw; the running if. A

*21 11 51's xix-1, in (20..111 sect mmii 111g sni meclm 1 41, 1mm c1emei by 51mm,) wu'iml 0 "tinned 111mm. punch and mm, m? mere 512L191:mam ies to fad v i. and :za 1ez1ns flaming; 0n Um '1. $21M ,a'r'latermlsto riw 1112:? mn'mmmiimfiy 0011i 1i lilac-him wii'hz'mt. em 1 maplers,said i1 videcfi with spaci 'rlmtfce apart: to em mined 1' n ("a 1' valr5 1 mews 23 11g; ping," "irn vnward m 2544 [in :11, but M a 0% dm]mate, 31115 m imxm 3.

cmi'e I w wan-J .1

numhiiw, mid 1Q spa.

"whhah mcesxau 1 3." between blanks m pm- 16 ike ands of @nvh blank, andm1 ralmuarranged. m

d 110 mnhrcfl 1.111121 3- i 1x11116125 n'nachine mm1- K LIE-HF" 11having means to 93;- n 13m, WWO: 610 Twin i'z'i'ami means I swper c1 matpmriiinm; of said binding at upgw- 6i Hm miawautomatically control theaction of said stapler.

35. A box blank stapling machine comprising instrumentalities to feedthe mate- .ulifilS forward, a stapler having a device to vice, and saiddevice being rendered inoperative each time said means encounters aspace.

36. A box blank stapling machine cornprising instmimentalitics to feedthe materials rorward, a stapler cotiperating with the, saidinstrumentalities to form blanks :Qiom the said-materials, a device tocut wire, and means fioatmg on the upper sur- 1 face of said materialsto rise and fall in spaces between blanks and-thereby automaticallycontrol said device without stopping the mo tion of the stapler, andsaid- ..vd evice being rendered operative each time said meansencounters a space.

- B7. A. box blank machine comprising instrumentalities to feed thematerials for ward, a stapler, a wire feed mechanism therefor includinga ratchet pawl, a roller floating on the upper surface of said materialsto rise and fall and thereby control said pawl, a pivoted support forsaidroller, a rock slia'ft, and-a connection between said support andshaft, said rock shaft being operatively associated with the saidratchet pawl.

38. A box blank stapling machine comprising instrumentalities to feedthe materials forward, &.1Sllfi.13l61',fll1d means float-- ing on theuppersurfaceof said materials said spaces.

' blank material through the stapling plane,

spaces occurring at intervals in the box-blank with thenecessary spacesformed therein, an

element to engage the said material, which element is movable into andout of the plane of the traveling blanks, and means caused to operate byentrance of said element into material to intermittently interrupt theaction of the stapling means upon said material.

In a machine for making box-blanks, stapling devices, meansior guidingthe boxblank ftnaterial through the stapling plane,

and meats-i operated by the boa-blank material to intermittentlyinterrupt the action of the stapling devices upon said material, withoutinterrupting the motion of said devices, said interrupting means havinga movable controller disposed in position to rest upon the upper surfaceof the passing material.

41. A machine for making boxblanks from strips of sheet material,comprising endless link-be1ts, means to support said strips a. distanceabove the tops of said belts, spacers to separate the edges of saidstrips, devices to actuate said belts a plurality of times for eachblank, and mechanism for applying continuous binding wires to saidstrips between said belts.

42. A machine for making box-blanks from strips of sheet material;comprising endless link-belts, means to support said strips a distanceabove the tops'of said belts, spacers to separate the edges of saidstrips, devices to actuate said belts a plurality of times for eachblank, and mechanism for applying continuous binding wires to saidstrips between said belts, said means including blocks which areadjustable toward and away from each other on said belts to accommodatestrips of different widths.

' 4:3. A machine for making box-blanks from strips of sheet material,comprising endless link-belts, means to support said strips a distanceabove the tops of said belts, spacers to separate the edges of saidstrips devices to actuate said belts a plurality oi times for eachblank, mechanism for applying continuous binding Wires to said str p Kbetween said belts to flexibly connect said strips together, said beltsbeing adjustable toward and away from each other, and blocks tosupportsaid spacers on the belts, each block having a fastening device,and said belts having grooves in which said fastening devices extend topermit adjustment of the blocks toward and away from each other.

44. A machine for making box-blanks from strips of sheet material,comprising endless link-belts, means to support said strips a distanceabove the tops of said belts, spacers to separate the edges of saidstrips, devices to actuate said belts a plurality of times for eachblank, and mechanism for applying continuous binding wires to saidstrips between said belts to flexibly connect saidstrips together, saidbelts having relatively long center links on which said spacers aremounted for adjustment toward and away from each other, and havingrelatively short side links to conn ct iaid long links.

45. A machine for making box-blanks from strips of sheet material,comprising endless link-belts, means to support said strips a distanceabove the tops of said belts, spacers to separate the ed, of. saidstrips, devices to actuate said bel .J plurality of amie times for eachblank, and mechanism for applying continuous bindin wires to said stripsbetween said belts, said means includingstationary guides for the endsof said. strips. v

46. A box-blank machine comprising in- Sii"*lll116l1'fllltl8s forfeeding materials and inserting astening devices therein, and means forautomatically interrupting the driving, of the fastening devices,without stopping the machine, including an element which directlyengages the materials and operates by movement theveof into and out ofthe plane of the traveling blanks to govern the operation of saidH'DEELHS, said. element being operated a plurality of times for eachblank.

Signed by us at St. J cseph, Berrien county, Michigan, this 1st day ofMarch,

EDWARD CRAIG. VVILLIAM' H. RAY.

Witnesses T. M. GILLEQAN, A. S. HABEL.

